Linfield Wins 45th NWC Title & Clinches Playoff Berth

November 18, 2024

No. 12 Linfield (Ore.) ended Whitworth’s (Wash.) undefeated season, dropping the Pirates from No. 10 to No. 21 in the AFCA Division III Coaches Poll, presented by Hudl. The Wildcats’ 34-7 victory clinched the Northwest Conference championship and earned them an automatic berth to the second round of the playoffs, where they will face Texas Lutheran. This marks Linfield’s third playoff appearance in the last four seasons, with the lone miss coming last year when Whitworth defeated the Wildcats in the regular season finale. This victory, therefore, holds even greater significance for Linfield. In addition, the win secured the Wildcats’ 45th league championship.

The top five teams in the AFCA poll, No. 1 North Central (Ill.), No. 2 Cortland (N.Y.), No. 3 Mount Union (Ohio), No. 4 St. John’s (Minn.), and No. 5 Hardin-Simmons (Tex.), are all off this coming Saturday, awaiting their second-round playoff matchups on November 30^th. Meanwhile, several top 25 teams will be in action during the first round of the playoffs. No. 11 Endicott (Mass.) will host Alfred St. (N.Y.), No. 19 Wisconsin-La Crosse welcomes Northwestern (Minn.), No. 21 Whitworth (Wash.) will face Pomona-Pitzer (Calif.), and No. 24 Coe (Iowa) will host Bethel (Minn.).

Search:

Rank	School (1st votes)	Rec.	Pts.	Prev.	Week 11	Post-season
1	North Central (Ill.) (38)	10-0	1236	1	D. Illinois Wesleyan, 42-20	Nov. 30 TBA
2	Cortland (N.Y.) (11)	10-0	1200	2	D. Ithaca (N.Y.), 28-17	Nov. 30 TBA
3	Mount Union (Ohio) (1)	10-0	1115	3	D. Muskingum (Ohio), 35-28	Nov. 30 TBA
4	St. John’s (Minn.)	10-0	1110	4	D. Bethel (Minn.), 41-33	Nov. 30 TBA
5	Hardin-Simmons (Tex.)	10-0	1067	5	D. East Texas Baptist, 45-23	Nov. 30 TBA
6	Susquehanna (Pa.)	9-1	931	6	D. Lycoming (Pa.), 55-0	Nov. 30 vs. Hobart (N.Y.)
7	Salisbury (Md.)	10-0	920	7	D. Kean (N.J.), 58-28	Nov. 30 TBA
8	DePauw (Ind.)	10-0	884	8	D. Wabash (Ind.), 42-21	Nov. 30 TBA
9	Wisconsin-Platteville	9-1	866	9	D. Wisconsin-Stout, 46-38	Nov. 30 at No. 10 Wartburg (Iowa)
10	Wartburg (Iowa)	9-1	761	11	D. Loras (Iowa), 60-14	Nov. 30 vs. No. 9 Wisconsin-Platteville
11	Endicott (Mass.)	9-1	695	12	D. Curry (Mass.), 49-14	Nov. 23 vs. Alfred St. (N.Y.)
12	Linfield (Ore.)	9-1	648	14	D. No. 10 Whitworth (Wash.), 34-7	Nov. 30 vs. Texas Lutheran
13	Aurora (Ill.)	9-1	619	13	Idle	Nov. 30 at No. 14 Hope (Mich.)
14	Hope (Mich.)	10-0	580	15	D. Olivet (Mich.), 48-12	Nov. 30 vs. No. 13 Aurora (Ill.)
15	Carnegie Mellon (Pa.)	9-1	552	16	D. Case Western Reserve (Ohio), 37-30	Nov. 30 vs. Centre (Ky.)
16	Grove City (Pa.)	9-1	509	17	D. Westminster (Pa.), 36-9	Nov. 30 at No. 17 Johns Hopkins (Md.)
17	Johns Hopkins (Md.)	9-1	404	18	D. McDaniel (Md.), 35-0	Nov. 30 vs. No. 16 Grove City (Pa.)
18	Washington & Jefferson (Pa.)	9-1	346	19	D. Allegheny (Pa.), 45-0	Nov. 30 at No. 22 Randolph-Macon (Va.)
19	Wisconsin-La Crosse	7-3	325	21	D. Wisconsin-Stevens Point, 56-14	Nov. 23 vs. Northwestern (Minn.)
20	Springfield (Mass.)	10-0	295	20	D. SUNY Maritime (N.Y.), 55-20	Nov. 30 vs. Massachusetts-Dartmouth
21	Whitworth (Wash.)	9-1	258	10	Lost to No. 14 Linfield (Ore.), 34-7	Nov. 23 vs. Pomona-Pitzer (Calif.)
22	Randolph-Macon (Va.)	9-1	208	22	D. Hampden-Sydney (Va.), 27-6	Nov. 30 vs. No. 18 Washington & Jefferson (Pa.)
23	Lake Forest (Ill.)	10-0	144	25	D. UChicago (Ill.), 28-9	Nov. 30 TBA
24	Coe (Iowa)	9-1	118	NR	Idle	Nov. 23 vs. Bethel (Minn.)
25	Wisconsin-River Falls	7-3	90	NR	D. No. 23 Wisconsin-Oshkosh, 28-14	Regular Season Complete

Dropped Out: Wisconsin-Oshkosh (23), Marietta (Ohio) (24)

Others Receiving Votes: Wheaton (Ill.), 75; Bethel (Minn.), 71; Wisconsin-Oshkosh, 40; John Carroll (Ohio), 35; Wisconsin-Whitewater, 35; Hobart (N.Y.), 28; Ursinus (Pa.), 21; Wisconsin-Stout, 18; Wabash (Ind.), 12; Berry (Ga.), 12; Mary Hardin-Baylor (Tex.), 10; Alma (Mich.), 4; Marietta (Ohio), 3; Massachusetts-Dartmouth, 3; Maryville (Tenn.), 1; Texas Lutheran, 1.

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Linfield Wins 45th NWC Title & Clinches Playoff Berth

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